Shire of Mt Marshall

Local Government and Natural Resource Management (NRM)

The Shire of Mt Marshall is committed to the sustainable and appropriate management of natural resources within the region.

Mt Marshall continues its commitment to NRM within the region, with its continuing support of the NEWROC body and employment of a Landcare Technical Officer. The Shire of Mt Marshall has now completed its local area plan, the Mt Marshall Environmental Protection Plan, and its four supporting documents, water assets, biodiversity assets, infrastructure assets and land resources assets.

The Shire of Mt Marshall sees its direction going beyond roads, rates and rubbish, working on these but at the same time focusing on natural resources management and development within the region. This changing role is further demonstrated with the Shires involvement with NEWROC.

The Shire of Mt Marshall sees a number of priority issues for NRM within the Shire. These are outlined in the box below.

Mt Marshall Natural Resource Management Committee

The Shire of Mt Marshall is committed to natural resource management within the North Eastern Wheatbelt of Western Australia. In 1999 the Shire formed a Community Landcare Committee to work with the community to manage natural resources. The Community Landcare Committee became the Natural Resource Management Committee (NRMC) in 2003 and consists of Councillors, Shire representatives, LCDC members and community members. The NRMC meets quarterly.

The aim of the NRMC is to work with Council to provide optimum natural resource management across the Shire of Mt Marshall.

In 2003 the Shire of Mt Marshall employed a Landcare Technical Officer to work with the NRMC and Council to fulfil natural resource management within the Shire. This officer provides a range of services to the Mt Marshall community.

The Mt Marshall NRMC has the following members:

• Cr Paul Gillett, Chairman
• Cr Robert Breakell
• Cr Des Miguel
• Mr Derek Clauson
• Mr Rob Grylls
• Mr Nick Gillett
• Mr Robert (Bob) Huxley
• Mr Chris Kirby
• Mr Tony Sachse
• Mr Paul Hodges, Natural Resource Management Officer

Mt Marshall Environmental Protection Plan

In 2003 the Shire of Mt Marshall entered into a planning process that has seen the release on a two stage Environmental Protection Plan. This plan outlined the NRM that will be undertaken by the Shire over the coming five years. The key to this plan is community involvement and community engagement, where a number of actions promote community involvement in NRM.

The first stage of the plan outlines the goals, strategies and actions of NRM within the Shire of Mt Marshall and stage two outlines the proposed process of catchment and farm planning, including the formation of catchment groups.

NRM and the Community

The NRMC and the Shire of Mt Marshall have endeavoured to include the community in NRM and planning. This is done through participation at workshops and also community consultation periods.

The youth of Mt Marshall is engaged in local governance through a Junior Council program. It is through this Junior Council NRM issues the students see as important are discussed.

Contacts